Fire sprinklers are designed to distribute an extinguishing fluid, such as water, throughout a building as widely as possible. As such, they are generally pressurised to high levels and activation can cause considerable damage to a building and it's contents. For example, activation of fire sprinklers in offices can damage computers and files and activation in retail stores can cause water damage to stock.
Fire sprinklers can also pose a safety threat to personnel involved with building testing and maintenance, regardless of whether their work is related to the sprinklers. For example, ladders or other equipment can conic into contact with sprinklers, potentially activating the sprinklers.
Eire sprinkler systems can include numerous sprinklers, which are generally installed roughly 4 meters apart. These sprinklers require maintenance and testing and can require activation to allow a system to be drained or to check operation. Also, it can be difficult to determine whether a sprinkler is pressurised and a fire sprinkler can be dangerous and difficult to switch off once activated.
Examples of the invention seek to provide a tool and method for draining a fire sprinkler system.